Why Trent Alexander-Arnold is not in Liverpool’s squad against Norwich

Trent Alexander-Arnold is not in Liverpool’s squad against Norwich after Jurgen Klopp opted to rest the right-back amid a host of changes from the side that beat Inter Milan in midweek.

The Merseysiders won 2-0 at the San Siro on Wednesday night and Klopp has opted to ring the changes for the visit of Norwich on Saturday, with seven new faces coming into the team at Anfield.

Alexander-Arnold is replaced by Joe Gomez in the starting XI and does not even make the bench, having been given the weekend off, while fellow full-back Andy Robertson is also rotated with Konstantinos Tsimikas coming in.

The Liverpool Echo report that Alexander-Arnold does not have any injury issues but, having played 90 minutes in Liverpool’s last 16 straight Premier League matches, Klopp felt he was in need of a full rest.

Asked for his thinking behind the changes, Klopp told Sky Sports: ‘The need of this game.

‘What this game and this team is asking for, because with the schedule we have we need today again a high energetic and intense performance and that’s only possible when you make changes and that’s why we did it.’

Elsewhere, Diogo Jota picked up an ankle injury against Inter and is facing a race against time to be fit for the Carabao Cup final and in a further blow the man who replaced him at San Siro – and scored – Roberto Firmino is also missing.

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The Brazilian is ‘out with a muscle injury’ and still being assessed and perhaps could be involved on Wednesday against Leeds United.

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